Is Refrigerant Toxic?
It can be. The EPA says the risks of refrigerants in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment can include toxicity, flammability, asphyxiation and physical hazards. NIOSH's Pocket Guide entry for the refrigerant dichlorodifluoromethane lists dizziness, tremor, asphyxia, unconsciousness, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac arrest, with frostbite from the liquid, and its entry for chlorodifluoromethane lists respiratory irritation, confusion, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, heart palpitations, cardiac arrhythmias, asphyxia and liver, kidney and spleen injury. New Jersey's Department of Health says high concentrations of dichlorodifluoromethane gas can make the heart beat irregularly or stop, which can cause death.
For first aid, New Jersey's health department says to immediately submerse skin that has contacted dichlorodifluoromethane in warm water. Venting refrigerant on purpose is prohibited. EPA regulations under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibit intentionally venting ozone-depleting refrigerants or their substitutes while maintaining, servicing, repairing or disposing of air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment.
The rules on which refrigerants can be used are changing. The EPA says the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, enacted December 27, 2020, mandates an 85 percent phasedown of HFCs from historic baseline levels by 2036, and that beginning January 1, 2025, manufacturers and importers of certain products and equipment using HFCs must comply with restrictions, with deadlines that vary by sector. It says there is no requirement to stop using equipment already in use, and consumers can keep using it until the end of its useful life.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe EPA says the risks associated with refrigerants in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment can include toxicity, flammability, asphyxiation and physical hazards. US EPA ↗
- Government sourceNIOSH lists respiratory irritation, confusion, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, heart palpitations, cardiac arrhythmias, asphyxia and liver, kidney and spleen injury as symptoms of chlorodifluoromethane exposure, with frostbite from the liquid. NIOSH, CDC ↗
- Government sourceNew Jersey's health department says high concentrations of dichlorodifluoromethane gas can cause the heart to beat irregularly or to stop, which can cause death. New Jersey Department of Health ↗
- Government sourceNew Jersey's health department says that on skin contact with dichlorodifluoromethane, immediately submerse the affected body part in warm water. New Jersey Department of Health ↗
- Government sourceNIOSH lists symptoms of dichlorodifluoromethane exposure as dizziness, tremor, asphyxia, unconsciousness, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac arrest, with frostbite from the liquid. NIOSH, CDC ↗
- Regulatory filingEPA regulations under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibit intentionally venting ozone-depleting substances or their substitutes while servicing, repairing or disposing of air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment. US EPA ↗
- Regulatory filingThe EPA says the AIM Act, enacted December 27, 2020, mandates the phasedown of HFCs by 85 percent from historic baseline levels by 2036. US EPA ↗
- Regulatory filingThe EPA says that beginning January 1, 2025, manufacturers and importers of certain products and equipment that use HFCs must comply with restrictions, with deadlines that vary by sector and subsector. US EPA ↗
- Government sourceThe EPA says there are no requirements to stop using equipment or appliances currently in use, and consumers can continue using their equipment until the end of its useful life. US EPA ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.